The Wexford Senior hurlers returned to action on Thursday evening with Oulart-The Ballagh hosting the affairs…
Wexford would welcome Dublin for their Walsh Cup quarter-final clash in horrid, wet and windy conditions not conducive to hurling.
Wexford defeated Laois in the previous game, but the Dubs came out worthy winners in the quarter-final, winning on a score-line of 1-11 to 2-17.
Wexford won the Walsh Cup in 2024; the Walsh Cup did not take place in 2025 meaning that Wexford’s reign as Walsh Cup champions comes to an end. Dublin will now take on Westmeath in the semi-final and it looks like it’s Dublin’s cup to lose.
Dublin visited Wexford with a relatively strong panel, with many of their players starting on the same team that defeated Wexford in Parnell Park last year in the Championship. From the Dublin team which defeated Wexford in the Leinster Championship in 2025, 10 of the same players started the game (E Gibbons, J Bellew, A Dunphy, P Smyth, C Burke, C Donohoe, B Hayes, C O’Sullivan, D Power, R Hayes). In contrast, Wexford had lined out with an incredibly youthful and inexperienced side with Mark Fanning, Kevin Foley, Richie Lawlor, and Conor Foley being their most-experienced players.
Wexford have been dealt with some major set-backs ahead of the new season. Rory O’Connor, Charlie McGuckin, and Eoin Ryan have all opted out of the panel for the 2026 season. There are also question marks over the inter-county futures of Conor McDonald, Cathal Dunbar, and Liam Ryan. Other key members of the panel, such as Damien Reck, Shane Reck, Conor Hearne, Lee Chin – along with the St Martins contingent – were unavailable for selection too.
Any doubts that Lee Chin’s inter-county career was coming to an end was put to bed on Thursday evening though, with the Faythe Harriers man acting as the Maor Uisce for Wexford Senior Hurling team against Dublin.
The omission of many players from the panel for various reasons gave Wexford Senior hurling manager Keith Rossiter a chance to look at various youngsters.
However, once again, it was one Wexford player who has been around the panel since 2014 that really stood out as one of the top-performers during an evening when Wexford tried hard but continued to struggle. Rapparees man Kevin Foley, who won the Man of the Match award against Laois, was Wexford’s stand-out performer, while Fethard’s Eoin Whelan – who played at centre-back for three quarters of the game, also stood out when on the field.
Wexford’s goal came from Tomás ‘Tucker’ Kinsella. An attempt for a point dropped short into the strong wind at Oulart. The ball scurried its way to the Askamore man and he rattled the top corner of the net, blasting the ball past Dublin goalkeeper, Eanna Gibbons.
Wexford entered half-time with just four points down, with the scores reading 1-06 to 1-11. Playing with a strong wind in the second-half, Wexford fans had a right to be confident heading into the second half. However, they could only manage another five points in the second-half, and a final 15 minutes, which was dominated by the visitors, seen Dublin’s Joe Flanagan hit 1-02 killing all hopes of a Wexford victory.
It was a game marred by errors, but not one could argue that Wexford’s loss was because a lack of intensity. Wexford manager Keith Rossiter, who is a big promoter of the Walsh Cup and pre-seasons competition, will see the benefits of these games – especially for his youthful and inexperienced side. While Wexford many have lost their reign as Walsh Cup champions, it is not the end of the world and focus will now swiftly turn to their Allianz Hurling League campaign. With many players still to return to the Wexford panel for the new season, the panel can only get stronger moving forward.
Wexford’s next match will come against Antrim in the Allianz Hurling League (Division 1B) on January 24th at home in Wexford Park.
All the scorers:
Dublin: C O’Sullivan 0-6 (6f); J Flanagan 1-2 (0-1f); R Hayes 0-3; O Gaffney 1-0; C Burke 0-2 (1f); D Power, C Groarke, C Donohoe, D Keogh 0-1 apiece.
Wexford: R Banville 0-4 (2f); K Foley 0-3; T Kinsella 1-0; E Whelan 0-2; C Foley, J Byrne 0-1 apiece.
Teams:
Dublin: E Gibbons; J Bellew, A Dunphy, C Groarke; C Murray, P Smyth, C Burke; B Hayes, S Gallagher; J Madden, D Power, C Donohoe; O Gaffney, R Hayes, C O’Sullivan. Subs: D Keogh for Gallagher (half-time), J Flanagan for Madden (half-time), C Kennedy for B Hayes(half-time), T Brennan for Gaffney (half-time), L Mostyn for O’Sullivan (45), E McLoughney for Bellew (45), D Kenny for Donohoe (48), N Clerkin for Murray (49), C Boyle for R Hayes (57), N Hogan for Power (57).
Wexford: M Fanning; N Murphy, C Foley, D Carley; E Wickham, R Lawlor, E Whelan; C Byrne Dunbar, S Rowley; R Banville, J Redmond, M Kelly; C Regan, K Foley, T Kinsella. Subs: J Byrne for Redmond (half-time), D Farrell for Rowley (44), D Fenlon for Whelan (46), E Dunbar for Regan (47), O Pepper for Kinsella (60), T O’Connor for Banville (61).
Referee: Brian Kearney (Kildare).
Jason Redmond
From Gorey, Jason is the owner of Wexford Weekly. He is also a post-primary English and History teacher.
Read also:
Remember to submit your news to Wexford Weekly! To advertise on our socials or website, email our team at info@wexfordweekly.com